Seesaws Day Nursery

Inspection of Seesaws Day Nursery 635 Chester Road, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B73 5HY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

The provision is good

Children and babies confidently explore the well-planned learning environment and make new discoveries. They are motivated to learn. As a result, they make good progress and gain a secure foundation for their future learning. Staff use a good range of teaching strategies to help children learn through a balance of adult-led and child-initiated play. Older children delight in self-chosen role-play games in the home corner. Staff help babies to investigate, play and experiment with real vegetables. Pre-school children learn to play cooperatively, solve problems and work together, such as when they act out the roles of nurses and doctors. During outdoor play, toddlers confidently explore the exciting activities. They become engaged for sustained periods of time mixing mud and water into different consistencies in the mud kitchen. For example, they pretend to cook muddy soup for lunch. Children are well behaved, kind and considerate. They take turns with

p.2

The provision is good

others during play and demonstrate good manners. Staff are warm and sensitive in their interactions with children. They help children to develop confidence and a positive sense of themselves. Staff gather some information from parents when children first start. They provide settling-in sessions to help them get to know children. However, staff do not always consider ways to find out more from parents about their child's learning at home to contribute to their assessment information.

p.2

need to do better?

n The management team is ambitious and has high expectations. Since the previous inspection, managers have worked closely with the local authority and have made a number of positive changes to improve practice. They take into account the views of staff, parents and children when making changes. n Action plans are used effectively to help staff make specific improvements that benefit children's care, learning, safety and welfare. The managers invest well in their staff and ensure that their workload is manageable. Staff understand their key roles. They benefit from a programme of supervision and professional development to help them to continually develop their skills. n Children are highly valued as individuals. Staff provide teaching that builds on what children already know and can do. The curriculum reflects children's needs, interests and next steps. Staff are skilled at providing differentiation to ensure

p.2

need to do better?

that each child is appropriately challenged. However, at times, the noise level in the pre-school room becomes high and disrupts children's level of concentration and engagement in activities. n Staff work with parents and outside professionals to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. They use individual programmes to ensure that children receive support that is closely matched to their needs. These children take part in all activities and display high levels of self-esteem as they play.

p.2

need to do better?

7 November 2019 n Children develop good literacy, language and communication skills. They enjoy looking at books and sharing their favourite stories with props and finger puppets. Staff read enthusiastically to children and encourage them to predict what might happen next. They talk to children, count objects, encourage them to sing songs and provide opportunities for mark marking. n Staff provide a wide range of rich sensory experiences that enthuse and excite babies to learn. For example, babies become absorbed and focused as they explore the wealth of items in a well-stocked treasure basket. n Overall, good relationships are fostered with parents, who praise the nursery highly. Staff regularly share information with parents about their children's care and early learning. For example, parents are invited to regular meetings, workshops and coffee mornings. However, staff do not always make the most of

p.2

need to do better?

opportunities to encourage and support parents to share what they know about their child's learning. This means that parents are not always fully involved in the assessment process. n The key-person system is well established and effective across the nursery. Staff adapt children's routines according to their needs and promote their physical and emotional well-being successfully. n Staff help children to adopt healthy eating habits. Children learn about good hygiene routines, healthy food choices, and the importance of staying hydrated. Freshly prepared food supports children's health and well-being. n Staff use the outdoor space creatively. Children get lots of opportunities to explore the outdoor area. They make good use of the equipment to develop their physical skills as they balance and play games. This helps children to develop and use their small and large muscles.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff understand their responsibility to safeguard children. They describe procedures for working with relevant agencies to help protect children from neglect or harm. They are aware of the procedures to follow if there was an allegation made against another staff member. There are robust recruitment and vetting systems to check that staff are deemed suitable to work with children. Managers ensure that all new staff benefit from a comprehensive induction, so they have a clear understanding about their roles and responsibilities. Staff check garden areas for hazards every day before children go outside, including ensuring that they have thoroughly cleaned up after the nursery rabbits. This helps to promote children's safety and well-being.

p.3

should:

7 November 2019 n consider ways to reduce the level of noise, to further promote children's concentration and engagement in activities n support and encourage parents to more consistently share what they know about their child's learning to enable them to play a more active role in their learning and progress.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 229057 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10087230 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.5

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 to 5 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 64 Name of registered person Seesaws Day Nurseries Ltd

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 0121 384 5494 Date of previous inspection 30 November 2018

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Seesaws Day Nursery was registered in March 1994 and is located in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. The nursery opens five days a week, all year round, except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Children attend for a variety of sessions, from 7.30am to 6.30pm. The nursery offers funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, 18 hold appropriate early years qualifications, ranging from level 2 to level 6.

p.5

Inspection activities

n The manager, senior deputy manager and the inspector had a tour of the nursery where they discussed how it was organised. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching indoors and outside, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning, development and welfare. n The inspector spoke to the staff, parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector completed joint observations with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery management team. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and checked evidence of the suitability of all staff working in the nursery.

p.6

Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

p.6

Inspection activities

7 November 2019 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7